Pope all smiles as Brazilians swarm his car in Rio

In this photo released by Prefeitura do Rio, Pope Francis waves to people from his popemobile in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, July 22, 2013. Pope Francis returned to his home continent for the first time as pontiff, embarking on a seven-day visit meant to fan the fervor of the faithful around the globe. (AP Photo/Raphael Lima, Prefeitura do Rio)
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In this photo released by Prefeitura do Rio, Pope Francis waves to people from his popemobile in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, July 22, 2013. Pope Francis returned to his home continent for the first time as pontiff, embarking on a seven-day visit meant to fan the fervor of the faithful around the globe. (AP Photo/Raphael Lima, Prefeitura do Rio)
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Protesters burn a puppet that symbolizes Rio de Janeiro State Governor Sergio Cabral during a demonstration near Guanabara Palace in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, July 22, 2013. Police and anti-government protesters clashed outside the palace hosting Pope Francis welcoming ceremony. About an hour after the pope concluded his short speech, police began cracking down on the protests, firing rubber bullets in an effort to disperse the crowd. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)— AP

Protesters burn a puppet that symbolizes Rio de Janeiro State Governor Sergio Cabral during a demonstration near Guanabara Palace in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, July 22, 2013. Police and anti-government protesters clashed outside the palace hosting Pope Francis welcoming ceremony. About an hour after the pope concluded his short speech, police began cracking down on the protests, firing rubber bullets in an effort to disperse the crowd. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)
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In this image from video, a crowd mobs the silver Fiat carrying Pope Francis through Rio de Janeiro on Monday, July 22, 2013. Ecstatic believers forced the closed Fiat to stop several times as they swarmed around during the drive from the airport to an official opening ceremony in the center of the city. (AP Photo)— AP

In this image from video, a crowd mobs the silver Fiat carrying Pope Francis through Rio de Janeiro on Monday, July 22, 2013. Ecstatic believers forced the closed Fiat to stop several times as they swarmed around during the drive from the airport to an official opening ceremony in the center of the city. (AP Photo)
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In this photo released by Prefeitura do Rio, a member of security holds up a baby to Pope Francis as he rides in his popemobile into central Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, July 22, 2013. The pontiff arrived for a seven-day visit in Brazil, the world's most populous Roman Catholic nation. At right is the Rio Archbishop Orani Joao Tempesta. (AP Photo/Raphael Lima, Prefeitura do Rio)— AP

In this photo released by Prefeitura do Rio, a member of security holds up a baby to Pope Francis as he rides in his popemobile into central Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, July 22, 2013. The pontiff arrived for a seven-day visit in Brazil, the world's most populous Roman Catholic nation. At right is the Rio Archbishop Orani Joao Tempesta. (AP Photo/Raphael Lima, Prefeitura do Rio)
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A detail of the hand of Pope Francis during the direct papal flight to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, 22 July 2013. Francis, the 76-year-old Argentine who became the church's first pontiff from the Americas in March, returns to the embrace of Latin America to preside over the Roman Catholic Church's World Youth Day festival. (AP Photo/Luca Zennaro, Pool)— AP

A detail of the hand of Pope Francis during the direct papal flight to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, 22 July 2013. Francis, the 76-year-old Argentine who became the church's first pontiff from the Americas in March, returns to the embrace of Latin America to preside over the Roman Catholic Church's World Youth Day festival. (AP Photo/Luca Zennaro, Pool)
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A Venezuelan waves her country's flag as she waits for the arrival of Pope Francis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, July 22, 2013. Frenzied crowds of Roman Catholics lined the streets to see Francis on Monday when he returned to his home continent for the first time as pontiff, embarking on a seven-day visit. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)— AP

A Venezuelan waves her country's flag as she waits for the arrival of Pope Francis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, July 22, 2013. Frenzied crowds of Roman Catholics lined the streets to see Francis on Monday when he returned to his home continent for the first time as pontiff, embarking on a seven-day visit. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)
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Pope Francis waves from his popemobile as he makes his way into central Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, July 22, 2013. The pontiff arrived for a seven-day visit in Brazil, the world's most populous Roman Catholic nation. During his visit, Francis will meet with legions of young Roman Catholics converging on Rio for the church's World Youth Day festival. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)— AP

Pope Francis waves from his popemobile as he makes his way into central Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, July 22, 2013. The pontiff arrived for a seven-day visit in Brazil, the world's most populous Roman Catholic nation. During his visit, Francis will meet with legions of young Roman Catholics converging on Rio for the church's World Youth Day festival. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)
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A young monk takes pictures as he waits for the arrival of Pope Francis in front of the Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro, Monday, July 22, 2013. Pope Francis returned to his home continent for the first time as pontiff, embarking on a seven-day visit meant to fan the fervor of the faithful around the globe. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)— AP

A young monk takes pictures as he waits for the arrival of Pope Francis in front of the Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro, Monday, July 22, 2013. Pope Francis returned to his home continent for the first time as pontiff, embarking on a seven-day visit meant to fan the fervor of the faithful around the globe. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
/ AP

RIO DE JANEIRO 
Pope Francis wants to ignite the passion of Roman Catholics for their faith while on his first international trip, and the boisterous, sometimes frenzied welcome he got on his first day in Rio seemed to fill those hopes.

Returning to his home continent for the first time since becoming pontiff, Francis smiled broadly as thousands of people rushed his car Monday after it became stuck behind buses and taxis when his driver made a wrong turn on a main avenue in Rio's center.

It was a nightmarish scene for security officials, but clearly a delight and another opportunity to connect for this pope, who was scheduled to take a day off Tuesday for rest and private meetings.

The ecstatic throngs forced his motorcade to repeatedly come to a standstill, weeks after violent protests against the government paralyzed parts of Brazil. Francis' driver turned into the wrong side of a boulevard at one point, missing lanes that had been cleared. Other parts of the pope's route to the city center weren't lined with fencing, giving the throngs more chances to get close, with uniformed police nowhere in sight to act as crowd control.

The three dozen visible Vatican and Brazilian plainclothes security officials struggled to keep the crowds at bay. Francis not only looked calm but got even closer to the people. He rolled down his back-seat window, waved to the crowd and touched those who reached inside. He kissed a baby a woman handed to him.

"His secretary was afraid, but the pope was happy," said the papal spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi.

The pope is here on a seven-day visit meant to fan the fervor of the faithful around the globe. That task has grown more challenging as Catholics stray, even in strongholds of the religion such as Brazil, yet it seemed to come easily to Francis even on the drive from the airport to an official opening ceremony.

After finally making it past crowds and blocked traffic, Francis switched to an open-air vehicle for a cruise along main streets past crowds of people who screamed wildly as he waved and smiled. He left his popemobile - the bulletproof one - in the Vatican garage so he could better connect with people during the church's World Youth Day.

Vatican officials insisted they had no concern for the pope's safety as his vehicles eased through the masses, but Lombardi acknowledged there might have been some "errors" that need correcting.

"This is something new, maybe also a lesson for the coming days," Lombardi said.

Many in the crowd looked stunned to see the pope, with some standing still and others sobbing loudly.

"I can't travel to Rome, but he came here to make my country better ... and to deepen our faith," Idaclea Rangel, a 73-year-old Catholic, said, choking through her tears after the pope passed by.

As many as 1 million young people from around the world are expected in Rio for the Catholic youth fest, a seemingly tailor-made event for the Argentine-born pope, who has proven enormously popular in his four months on the job. But the fervor of the crowds that regularly greet Francis in St. Peter's Square was nothing compared with the raucous welcome in Rio.